While the Philadelphia Eagles struggled with the Dallas Cowboys on the field Sunday, the team’s media staff got involved in a spat with reporters.
From the sounds of it, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer objected to an Eagles staffer hollering at reporters.
It escalated from there, with McLane apparently ejected from the press box, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Bowen shared the story in series of tweets:
Eagles are attempting to eject @Jeff_McLane from the press box because he objected to being yelled at by an Eagles media relations staffer
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
Other reporters are being told they will be ejected as well if they interfere with Jeff being ejected from the press box
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
This is a ridiculous situation, a minor disagreement that the Eagles are making into a huge incident
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
The Eagles have not clarified what policy Jeff is alleged to have violated.
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
During confusion over a penalty a while ago, we were all trying to figure out the call. An Eagles staffer yelled for us to be quiet. (1)
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
(2) Many of us took exception, Jeff most vocally. He then went to the staffer and calmly discussed why the admonishment was inappropriate.
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
(3) A while, later, security guard comes and tells Jeff he is being ejected "for violating the fan code of conduct."
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
This is the most vengeful, petty Eagles regime I've dealt with since I started covering the team in 2002. #Ejectthat
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2017
This is a pretty petty and ridiculous situation on the part of the Eagles.Why a staffer needed to tell reporters to be quiet in a press box in the first place doesn’t make a lot of sense. If a reporter violated a real policy and deserved to be ejected, fine. But threatening every reporter in the press box with dismissal is outrageous, because if all spoke up, there wouldn’t be anybody left to cover the team.
Rest assured allegations will fly on both sides. The Eagles might have their side of the story about unruly reporters, while reporters might suggest this is a bit of Week 17 vengeance by the team against writers who panned the under performing team.
Either way, this is a situation to monitor moving forward, as relationships between the press and players or teams has been a hot subject as of late.
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